GENERAL HUNT FOR BRIGANDS.

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capture. The troops and gendarmes were stationed more towatch the inhabitants than to pursue the brigands, whosepersons and haunts it was very truly assumed were betterknown to their fellow countrymen. Every description ofcattle and living thing was forbidden to be left out in thefields at night, or to be kept anywhere, without efficientguards. No persons employed at farm labour were allowed tocarry out with them any food whatever, under pain of death.

On the 10th of November, 1810, over the entire of thevast Calabrias, from Rotonda to Reggio, the simultaneoushunt against the brigands commenced. The orders ofGeneral Manhes were so extremely severe as to be heldof impossible execution ;—but it was soon found that hisorders were as immutably enforced as are the operations ofthe elements. Many dreadful cases might be recounted ofmost horrifying inflexibility, but my limits will not allow ofmy mentioning more than the following, which immediatelyconvinced the Calabrians that Manhes must be obeyed tothe very letter of his regulations.

All the adult male inhabitants being up in arms in pursuitof the brigands, the gathering of the grapes and olivesmainly devolved on the women and children. Eleven ofsuch belonging to the town of Stilo, going out to a distantolive ground, took with them each as much bread as wouldsuffice them for the day. These poor people were met bythe vigilant gendarmes, commanded by Lieutenant Gamba-corta (remember his name !)—their persons being searched,the bread was found upon each; and then and there uponthe spot did Lieutenant Gambacorta cause the whole elevenwomen and children to be shot dead!

In a wood near Cosenza, a venerable, silver-haired oldman was surprised administering a little food to a youngman—armed, —but wan and almost perishing for lack ofnourishment. It was a father endeavouring to save the life